As more than 800,000 gallons of oil have been released into a creek in Marshall that feeds the Kalamazoo River, State Sen. Tom George, R-Kalamazoo, said he wants Michigan to add environmental impacts to the Great Lakes Compact.

Houston-based
Enbridge Energy Partners said Monday that oil flowed into the Talmadge
Creek and the Kalamazoo River after a leak developed in its pipeline.

"The total impact of this oil spill will not be known for quite some time and it is safe to say those of us in the Kalamazoo River Watershed will deal with the effects for years to come.

"I offer my condolences to those landowners immediately impacted downstream by the spill and assure you that I will continue to monitor the situation.

"As this disaster unfolds, now is a very appropriate time to consider my proposal for the executive branch of the State of Michigan to open discussions on adding environmental impacts to the scope of the Great Lakes Compact. As we have seen demonstrated by federal inaction dealing with the Asian Carp threat, those of us who live in the Great Lakes Basin are responsible for and will bear the brunt of contamination to Great Lakes water. It is our duty, and ours alone, to create a framework to protect that precious resource. Michigan should immediately begin that dialogue."